Crouch - Thanks Harry!/HR's TV plea

Who is the man that Peter Crouch thanks for his England recall? None other than Harry Redknapp, with him becoming the latest in a long line to heap praise on the Pompey boss for reviving a career that was going stagnant...

The faith that Redknapp has in players and the ability to act as a 'father figure' often sees the best shine through, and Crouch attributes his resurgence in form, which has culminated in an England recall, to him: 'Harry Redknapp has been a big help to me. I've played for Harry before and I felt he had got the best out of me so that was one of the reasons I joined Portsmouth.

'I believe for the rest of the season he will get the best out of me and a lot in terms of my England recall is down to him.

'Harry certainly builds up the confidence of players. For example, he tells me every day that I can be a world beater - and you start to believe it.

'He is just an honest fellow. If you are rubbish, he will tell you as well. But, if you are playing well, he will tell you that.

'It is nice to know. If you need to pull your finger out, he will certainly let you know but if you are doing the business, he will praise you.'

'Crouchy the world beater', it has a nice ring to it!

Redknapp is great at building up player confidence, unfortunately a trait of his that I do not like is the one where he seems happy to turn his back on some players and offers them little or no encouragement, or chance of playing - although maybe some of this is also down to the players in question as well? Perhaps they do not show the right commitment or attitude levels, so in a way get what they deserve - sometimes...

Either way, join me 'Harry Redknapp's blue and white army!'

==========

Talking of Harry Redknapp he has urged TV not to ruin our glorious moment when we take on Milan at Fratton at he end of November.

Our first ever game in European competition against Vitoria SC was tainted somewhat by the 6pm kick off time, which as much as the TV was to blame we did have to shoulder some as well, but then again we could not decline the money on offer could we... Then our return game in Guimarăes saw us kick off at 9.35pm to accommodate TV - and ensure that 3 uefa cup games could be shown on the box that day!

The visit of the mighty Milan, one of the greatest clubs in world football, to Fratton is an almost crowning glory to the fantastic few years that we have had and the fear is that TV bosses could ruin this in someway by not giving us a prime TV slot. Redknapp told The News: 'we've got a fantastic game, a dream tie, to put on for our fans and we need to make the best of it, with a 7.45 or 8pm kick-off.

'We are looking for a memorable European night under the Fratton Park floodlights but we've already had two silly kick-off times.

'It was still light when we started against Vitoria at Fratton Park and supporters struggled to get there from work.

'Then in Portugal the players did not get back to the hotel until 2.30am after the game, just a couple of days before we had to play Stoke in the Premier League.

'The league is always my priority. We are going well again after a tough start this year but you've always got to watch your position because it's a very tight competition, tighter than ever.

'But AC Milan in a European competition is a one-off occasion. That should be a fabulous night.

'Who could imagine the thought of Paulo Maldini, Ronaldinho, Kaka and all those running out to play here but who could have imagined Portsmouth winning the FA Cup and having four players in the England squad?

'Now it could all happen.'

The thought of Milan coming to Fratton is incredible - who would have thought that possible! At Fratton - on our day - we can do anyone, so why not Milan? Dare we dream the seemingly impossible, is in actual fact possible!

Without any shadow of a doubt this game will be on TV, and I dare say the TV companies will be battling it out for the rights to broadcast it, which could see us pocket a few quid extra! Either way I would be amazed if TV missed the opportunity of showing this in a prime time TV slot of 7.45pm or 8pm - but then again with TV world you never can tell...

One thing that I know beyond any doubt as sure as night follows day is that I will again be at Fratton no matter what time we kick off!

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Use your social login to comment on front page articles. Login using you Facebook, Twitter, Google or LinkedIn accounts and have your say!

Crouch is the man. I was gutted when he left, gutted when he took loads of crap from Villa fans, gutted when he scored for Saints, and gutted that he was left on the bench at Liverpool for years. He's back home and he's played his (long) socks off this past week. Bloody brilliant!

Whatever happens i hope the kick off is at a reasonable time, especially with us having to travel from the North West, and then getting home.
Crouchie will continue to improve if he stays and works with Harry, he had a poor start to the season, but over the last couple of weeks he really seems to have got match fit, and linked up the play really well.

I am praying that I will be able to get ticketes to the match. if You have to go to both home games, then I cant go, as I am out of the country for the second game... however I am hoping to pop off to wolfsburg...

Heheheh - yeah I guess that Hereford's not particularly north but it's just one of the members who lives there. I'm in Chester by the way - not a particularly big Portsmouth stronghold but I think there's about 10 Pompey fans up here :)

It may be, Carpet, that I can take your German tickets off you if you are stuck. Can't promise at the moment tho, am hoping to get 2 extra Milan tickets for my cousin, who I haven't seen for years. (Turns out he's been a Pompey fan since he was 6 and remembers going to places like Darlington to watch Pompey in the dark days,) He lives up north but goes to some of the away games - I never knew.

you cannot buy tickets for one without the other - so if you want to go to milan you have to buy tickets for heereneveen aswell...i want people that want to go to both to go to milan first, but as people like carpet are people i know are not 'glory seekers' then i would happily act as 'a good between' to help pass on the heerenveen tickets... but only for people that i know are not just seeking the glory of seeing us play milan!

Well I for one will be trying to get tickets for both. Lets just hope I can get a decent seat. I may ask to sit near you again yong if you don't mind? When the draw was taking place did anyone else go'let it be POmpey' when they drew us for the group against Milan. I sure did!

rug... game's Ive been to recently... FA cup final, and a few FA cup games, and about three/four league games last season... That probably makes me a glory hunter... I shall try to go to see AC Milan anyway, as even £40 to see kaka, ronaldinho etc. at fratton park would be amazing!

Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.